Indicator mechanism



March 19,1946. J. HALST EAD 2,396,948 INDICATOR MECHANISM I Original Filed July 22'; 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 B FIG.

INVENTOR B JOHN F. HALSTEAD Y 4 ATTOBNEY March 19, 1946. J. F. HALsTEA D 2,396,948 INDICATOR MECHANISM Original Filed July 22, 1959 s Shee ts-Sh eet 2 INVENTOR JOHN F. HALSTEAD BY 1 INDICATOR MECHANISM I Original Filed July 22, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wens-w g, 1i

b INVENTOR 47g 16 155 JOHN F, HALSTEAD ATTORNEY v Patented Mar. 19, 1946 INDICATOR MECHANISM 1 John F. Halstead, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original application July 22, 1939, Serial No.

Divided and this application November 12, 1941, Serial No. 418,755

'7 Claims. (Cl. 13184) One of the main objects of the invention is the I Provision of an indicator for continuously indicating to the operator whether the feeding of tobacco in the feed channel is at the correct height. Previously, on cross feeds having a compressor roll resting on the portion of the tobacco stream in front of the compactor plate, there have been provided indicators which are actuated by the up-and-down motion of the roll due to the varying height of the tobacco stream there-under. In operation they have given constantly fluctuating readings and proved unsatisfactory, because of the Widely differing thicknesses of various adjoining sections of the stream and the tendency of the roll to drop into hollows in the stream and give a highly inaccurate reading. By actuating the indicator from the vertically reciprocating compressor foot in the present construction, a reading of the compacted or average thickness of the tobacco stream along the entire length of the compressor will be given.

My indicato is so connected to the intermittently operated compressor foot that an indication of the thickness of the tobacco in the channel will be given even while the presser foot is lifted and not operated, a difficulty which has hitherto deterred use of an indicator of this type on the cross feed. The indicator resets at the last part of each downward stroke of the compressor thereby using only a small fraction of each cycle for the resetting operation. The pointer is therefore stationary almost during the entire cycle, and permits plenty of time for the operator to glance at the pointer, to determine whether more or less tobacco should be fed to maintain the proper height of tobacco in the channel. By this arrangement the operator, who iskept busy feeding tobacco into the channel, will at one moment or another be able to glance at the indicator for a reading. With the object in dicated, and others not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and construction which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of a cigar filler. feed construction in accordance with the invention showing the arrangement of the indicator somewhat diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a partial end elevation of Fig. 1 showing the indicator somewhat diagrammatically and the feed control mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a detail Viewtaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 of the filler magazine partly in section, illustrating the thin charge being separated from the filler supply;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views on an enlarged scale showing the indicator in different working positions;

Fig. '7 is an end view on an enlarged scale of the indicator unit taken from the line 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the clutch control mechanism while the filler feed is incapacitated; and

Fig. 9 is a similar view thereof taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1 while the operation of the filler feed is being reinstated.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the filler feed, which forms the subject matter of the above mentioned Patent No. 2,284,472, consists of a pedestal It! mounted on the bed of the cigar machine, a bracket II being attached to pedestal I0 and supporting the feed table I2 and the driving pulleys of the feed belts I3, 14 and ii. A bracket I6 secured to the side of member I I supports idler pulleys over which these feed belts are trained. The pedestal I0 and the bracket ll fastened thereon each support one end of the drive shaft of the feed control mechanism as will be hereinafter described. Uprights l8 and i9 are mounted on top of bracket H and upport the compressor foot 20 and its compactor 2|, the corrugated cutter 22, the transfer platform 23, the transfer arm 24, the cam shaft 25 and the fulcrum 28 of the transfer arm.

The fille tobacco i laid lengthwise in the channel formed by the horizontal feed belt l3 and the two vertical feed belts l4 and .15. The horizontal belt I3 is driven by pulley 21 and guided by pulley-s 2B and 29 and by pulleys, not shown, supported by the bracket 15. The belts l4 and I5 are driven by pulleys 38 mounted on member H, and guided by pulleys, not shown, on an adjustable slide carried by bracket !6. The belt I4 is driven from a bevel gear 3!, mounted on a shaft 32, in mesh with a bevel gear 33 on the vertical shaft 34. Shaft .32 is supported by pedestal I0 and a bracket 35 secured to said pedestal, an arm 36 extending from bracket 35 having a hub supporting the lower end of shaft 34 whose other end is supported in a suitable bearing provided in bracket The shaft 34 is provided with a gear 3! meshing with a gear 38 on shaft 39 of one of the pulleys 33, this latter shaft being also equipped with a bevel gear 49 in mesh with'a bevel gear 4| mounted on a shaft 42 supported in bracket A bevel gear 43 mounted on shaft 42 meshe with a gear 44 on vertical shaft 45 and imparts motion to the other pulley 30.

In each cycle the stream of filler tobacco advances between a pair of guides 46 and is directed beneath the hinged compactor 2!. While the motion of the stream of filler tobacco is halted it is subjected to the action of compactor 2| and a plate 41 attached to compressor foot 20 which compress it sufiiciently to give it sumcient body to sustain the subsequent operations.

The compressor is suspended from links 48 supporting a rod 49, which has relatively movable sections between which a compression spring is interposed as shown in Fig. 1, the links 48 being pivoted on a bracket-50 secured to upright 19. The compressor foot has an upwardly extending portion which is bifurcated to admit the lower end of rod 49. A pin 49a passing transversely through the bifurcated portion of compressor foot 29 (Fig. 1) pivotally connects the lower end of rod 49 to said bifurcated portion of compressor 20. A pair of guide rods 20a which are secured in the compressor foot 29 are slidably mounted in lugs |9a of the upright l9 to guide the compressor foot in a vertical direction when it is moved up and down. The pin connecting links 48 and rod 49 is connected by an arm 5| to a reciprocating slide 52. When the slide 52 moves downwardly the pin connecting links 48 and rod 49 is moved outwardly and links 48 and rod 49 assume the positions shown in Fig. 1 whereby the compressor foot 29 is moved downwardly. When the underlying section of the filler stream has been compacted during the descent of compactor 2| to the desired density, the spring between the movable sections of rod 49 will be compressed and the downward movement of compactor 2| will be terminated while the slide 52 moves to the limit of its downward stroke. Said slide is mounted in ways provided in upright '|9 and is actuated up and down by a cam lever 53 fulcrumed on a stud'54 and controlled by a cam 55 on shaft 25, through a cam roller 56 on said lever. The hinged compactor 2| is suspended from a link 51 connected to a horizontal'bar 58 having its other end supported by the rod 49.

The arm 53 andslide 52 also operate the corrugated cutter 22 which is mounted on a frame 66 attached to -slide 52. This construction is similar to that shown in the patent to P. Peterson, granted February 2'7, 1934, 1,948,594.

The platform 23, upon which the leading end of the fillerstream rests, is in its horizontal position at the time the cutter 22 descends to sever a bunch length from the tobacco column. The platform 23 mounted on an arm 6| is lowered by a link connection 62, Fig. 3, operated by a cam (not shown) into an inclined position as indicated by dot and dash lines. The platform 23in its inclined position rests on a'horizontal gate 63 which projects over the space between plates 64 and 65, and a swinging rake 66 having a plate 61' draws off the severed bunch length. The 'plates 64 and 65 together with a P 8 The cam 55 therefore also actuates the compactor 2|.

constitute a filler supply magazine of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,255,054, dated September 9, 1941, in association with a cross feed of the type described above. The plate 61 of rake 69, suitably beveled for effective operation on both the platform 23 and gate 63, forces the filler section or bunch length into position directly over the space between the magazine side walls '64 and 65. In doing so, the rake advances plate 67 to a position of alignment with the magazine wall 64 which it occupies when the filler supply is compacted and then returns to its original position.

Therake 66 is actuated by an arm 24, Fig. l, which is pivotally connected thereto and mounted on fulcrum 26 and derives motion from a cam 69 on shaft 25 which engages a cam roller 19 carried by an arm secured to fulcrum 26. Member 26 is provided with an arm 12 supporting a counterweight 13 which tends to hold roller 10 in engagement with its cam whereby swinging motion is imparted to rake 66 to advance the bunch length on to the gate 63. Further description of the construction of the platform 23 and the rake 66 is deemed unnecessary as reference may be had to my prior Patent 2,156,284 for a complete disclosure of the details thereof.

With the filler section or severed bunch length in position on the gate 33 in the filler magazine, the pressure plate 15 and its integral resilient pad 16 descend and bear against the filler section resting on the gate. Simultaneously, a cam operated link (not shown) is raised, allowing an elevator Tl, Figs. 1 and 3, to travel upward and the compressed filler section now held by gate 63 which lies above any surplus filler that has been brought up by a bottom plate 18 of the elevator, is released and the entire filler supply is lowered into position for the separation of a thin charge after the retraction of gate 63.

Inasmuch as the movement of the elevator is controlled in the same manner as described in my Patent 2,255,054 heretofore mentioned, a more detailed description of the same is deemed unnecessary.

The pressure plate 75 is secured to a slide 19, Figs. 1 and 3, mounted in a groove provided in a bracket 89 and retained therein at its lower end by a plate 8!. The bracket 89 bolted to the side of plate 65 provides a bearing for a shaft 82 on which is fixed a lever 83, the other end of shaft 82 being supported in a bracket 84 fastened to the upright l8. A link 85 operating the slide 19 is pivoted to the lever 83 and to the slide 19 at 86. An arm 81, fixed to one end of the shaft 82 and to which a rod 88 is suitably mounted to carry an adjustable weight 89, is actuated by a pin and slot connection 90 to a cam operated link 9|. The shaft 82 at its other end is connected to the feed control mechanism which prevents feeding of additional filler when a certain surplus exists in the magazine, said control operating in a manner to be presently described. With the filler supply in position after the gate 63 has been retracted, a bunch charge is separated from the lower end of the filler supply. For this purpose there is provided a separator plate and a vibrating knife blade 96. The knife 96 which is supported on arms 9-], is moved into engagement with the lower end of the filler supply to separate the bunch charge and the separator plate 95 is moved between the separated charge and the remainder of the filler supply. Since the remainder of the chargev sepa. rating mechanism consists of the same parts as in my Patent No. 2,255,054, showing of the same is omitted in the present disclosure.

When the thin charge has been separated, a plunger plate 98 with its plunger 99 travels between the separating plate 95 and the magazine bottom plate 18 to force the separated thin charge into a pocket I06 of a charge transfer generally indicated at IBI of Fig. 3. After loading of the charge transfer, the plunger plate 96 and plunger 99 are retracted and the magazine bottom plate 18 is elevated to a suitable distance from the separating plate 95 so that the remaining filler supply will be supported after the sepa rating mechanism has retracted. The, above: mentioned transfer IOI delivers the filler charge on to a rolling apron, not shown; of well known construction which rolls the filler within a binder leaf to form a cigar bunch.

The cross feed mechanism (Figs. 1 and 2) is intermittently driven by a ratchet I05 mounted on the shaft 32 through the engagement therewith of a pawl I06 provided on a stud I01 at one end of a lever I08. Lever I08 on the shaft 32 is oscillated by an arm I09 connected thereto by pin H and actuated by a pin III slidably mounted in a slot H2 and carried by a crank II3 on the shaft II4. A stop screw II5 mounted on the arm I09 limits the lost motion of the pin I I I and permits adjustment of the feeding stroke. A sprocket II6 loose on the shaft H4 is driven by a chain II1 from a sprocket (not shown) on the main shaft of the machine. An adjustable screw H8 is secured in a bracket H9 attached to the cross feed bracket I6 to limit the travel of arm I09 and the pawl I06 in one direction. A stop pin I20 is provided on the pedestal I0 for limiting the travel of the arm I09 with pawl 106 in the opposite direction.

When the pin III engages the outer end of slot H2 in arm I09 it displaces the arm I08 forwardly against the tension of a spring connecting the arm I09 and a post on bracket I'l. Thus the pawl I06 drives the ratchet I05 until the pin III disengages the outer end of slot H2.v

Then when the pin IIO engages the stop screw II5 the arm I08 returns the pawl to its initial position, this movement of arm I08 being assisted by the spring connecting arm I09 to the post on bracket II.

A lever I2I is operated by an arm I22 on-the shaft 82 through a link I23 pivoted to the crank arm I22 at I24 and secured to lever I2I by a pin and slot connection I25. A forked adjust.- ing lever I26 is mounted on the shaft 82 and is provided with adjustingf screws I21 which bear against a pin I28 on arm I22, and by adjusting the relative position of screws I21 the stroke of link I23 may be varied. Lever I2I is mounted on a stud I29 supported by pedestal I0 and operates an arm I30 in engagement with a latch arm I3I pivoted on a stud I32 of member I0. The engagement of members I30 and HI is normally maintained by a spring I33. A resetting arm I34 which may be integralwith I3! is provided to be engaged by a roller I35 carried on one end of a rotating arm I36 fixed to sprocket II6. The opposite end of arm I36 supports a driving arm or pawl I31 carrying a roller I38 at one end and constructed at its other end to engage and drive a disk I39 integral with a sprocket I40 fastened on shaft II4. When the sprocket I40 rotates it drives a chain I4I run- III nine over; a sprocket I42 fixed on cam shaft 25 and over an idler sprocket I43 and an idler sprocket I44 on stud I29.

With a sufficient supply of filler tobacco stored in the magazine formed by the walls 64 and 65, the arms I30 and I3I will remain engaged as seen in Figs. 2 and 8, permitting the roller I33 of arm I31 to be depressed by the surface I45 of arm I-3I. whereby the recess I46 of arm I31 will be disengaged-from a tooth I41 inserted in disk I39: and thus the disk will remain stationary and no motion will'be imparted to sprocket I40 and shaft H4, ratchet I05 or their co-acting members/thereby rendering the feed-in belts, compressor members and corrugated cutter inoperative. As the filler supply in the magazine dwinclles. the pressure plate 15 is caused to descend deeper and "deeper into thev magazine causing therweightedarm 811 to turn shaft 82 whereby the link I2'3is depressed bringing the upper end ofits elongated slot into engagement with pin I25, thus forcing arm. I2I downward whereby arm I30 will ascend and permit the spring I33 to disengage arm I3I therefrom and pull the free end of lever I3I against a shoulder on lever I30 and thus move'the reset arm I34 into the path of the roller I35. The relative movement of said arm is limited by a stop pin I48 in arm I3I which abuts an extension I49 of a plate I50 secured to arm. I30. With the arm I3'I released, it is in a position out of the path of the oncoming roller I38 whereby the recess I46 of pawl I31 will engage tooth I41 and impart motion to its disk I39 and sprocket I40 and thereby driving ratchet I05, thus setting the feed-in belts, compressor and corrugated cutter in action. The rotation of arm I36 will bring its roller I35 into engagement with reset arm I34 and move arm I3I sufficiently to re-engage its co-acting arm I30, and if sufficient tobacco has been delivered to the magazine this engagement of the arms will interrupt the drive of disk I39. If more tobacco is needed the arm -I3I will again be pulled by spring I33 against the shoulder of arm I30 and the disk I39 will continue to turn until link I23 has descended enough to reset arm I30 to its original position.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 7, wherein the detailed construction of an indicator mechanism is disclosed, the indicator mechanism is operated by the compressor foot. This unit consists of a bracket I 'which'is secured to thecompressor plate 41', the upper portion of the bracket being provided with a stud I56 to which is fastened a trigger I51. Between the bracket and trigger is placed a fibre washer I58 which together with a spring I59 and, a nut I60 tend to fricticnally hold the trigger in position, the stud I56 being provided with a lock nut shown in Fig. '7, if de" sired, engaging nut I60. A bracket I6I i secured to a guard I62 which partly encloses the feed belt I4, this bracket at. its base being provided with a cut-out I63 wherein the bracket I55 is free to move up and down. A stud I64 supportedin a hub I65 of bracket I6I carries a pointer I66 adapted to register with an indicator plate I61 attached to upright I8. A fibre washer I68 placed between bracket I6! and pointer I66 together with a spring I69 and a nut I10 is provided to frictionally hold the pointer stationary, the stud I64 being provided with a lock nut shown in Fig. 7, if desired, engaging the nut I10. Bracket I6I- is equipped with a stop pin I1I which resets trigger I51 as the com- 4 attests:

pressor plate 47 moves to its up position". 'I he butt of the pointer carries two studs I72 and I73 adapted'to be engaged by the trigger I57.

Referring to Fig. 4, the compressor 47 is shown in its up-position with the trig er I57 abutting stop pin I 7!, and as the compressor descends the end of the trigger engages the stud I72 and-swings pointer I65 to its starting position seen in Fig. 5. It is well to mention at this time that the frictional contact of the pointer is adjusted to give more freely than the trigger, so that said pointer will be moved by the'latter and indicate to the operator whether or not the tobacco is being fed ary axis, a device frictionally tending to hold said into the feed channel at the correct height. As

the compressor continues to descend and press the tobacco in the channel, the base of'the trigger is caused to engage stud I73 and gradually swing the pointer I66 towards the indicator plate I67. When the correct amount of tobacco is fed into the feed channel, the compressor in'pressing it to the desired density will move pointer I66 into registration with the apex of plate I67 as seen in Fig. 6. If too much tobacco'is fed into the feed channel, the density of the tobacco will render the compressor inoperative before reaching its proper level and stop the indicator to the right of the apex of plate I67. If too little tobacco is fed into the channel the compressor will descend below its proper level and the pointer I66 will stop to the left of the apexof plate I67. Regardless of where the pointer may be stopped, it wi1lremain in that position while the compressor ascends to reset the trigger by means of stud III. In this manner, the operator may still glance at the indicator to ascertain if the proper height of filler tobacco is being fed. 7

It may be noted that the operation ,of the filler feed is incapacitated prior to the interval during, which the tobacco stream is advanced and while the compactor is in araised position clear of the tobacco stream, and reinstated at the sa e p rtion of the machine cycle. The clutch for this purpose has a further advantage due to the illustrated construction in that there will be no run-. ning ahead of the driven member of the clutch relative to its driving member under-the influence of the momentum of the weighty corrugated cutter or other parts of the filler feed. Since the front and rear faces of the insert M! of the driven member I39 are engaged by the side walls of the recess I46 in the driving arm I37, th running ahead of the driven member will beprevented. To facilitate the engagement, of the recess I46 with the insert I 47 the portion of arm I37 im mediately behind the recess rideson the circular portion of the periphery of the disk I39, and, un-' less it is swung upwardly by the engagement of roller I38 with the arm I3I, will ride on to the flattened portion of disk periphery wherein the insert I47 is set. Then the portion ofthe inner face of the arm I37 ahead of the recess I46 which clears the exposed rear corner of insert I47 while the portion of arm I37 behind the recess is-riding off the circular part of the periphery of' disk" I39 as shown in Fig. 9, is pulled into engagement with the outer face of insert I47 by a tension spring I86 connecting the arm I37 to arm I36 and rides thereover until the forward wall of recess I46 reaches the forward side of insert I47. Then the recess reaches it, snaps into engagement with the insert and operation of the filler feed is resumed. What is claimed is: I 1. In a cigar machine filler feed, the combination with a member for feeding a stream of tobacco, of a vertically reciprocating compactor pointer in a stationary position on said axis, said pointer having a hub, a member on said hub adapted to be engaged by said trigger during the first part of successive downward movements of said plate and thereby displace said pointer to a predetermined initial position, and an abutment on said hub arranged to be engaged by said trigger and thereby to deflect said pointer from said initial position during the continued downward movement of said plate.

' 2. In a cigar machine filler feed, the combina tion with a member for feeding a stream of tobacco, of means for driving said member to intermittently advance said stream by a predetermined distance in successive cycles, mechanism engagin said stream of tobacco during a portion only of each feeding cycle of said member for apprising the attendant of the thickness of the filler stream, said mechanism including means for indicating the thickness of the filler stream continu ously until the latter part of the next feeding cycle of said member.

3. In a cigar machine filler feed, the combination with a member for feeding a stream of tobacco, of means for driving said member to intermittently advance said stream by a predeter mined distance in successive cycles, a vertically reciprocating compactor plate for compressing D said stream in successive feeding cycles of said member, an indicator for apprising the attendant of the thickness er the filler stream, and mechanism connecting said indicator to said compactor plate for indicating the thickness of the section of the filler stream underlying said compactor plate in each cycle after the compactor plate has been raised.

4. In a cigar machine filler feed, the com-bination with a member for intermittently feeding a stream of tobacco, of a compactor normally out of contact with said stream and adapted to be moved into engagement therewith for compressing said stream vertically to a predetermined density, mechanism for moving said compactorinto engagement with said stream for compressing the same during intervals while it is not being fed by said member, an indicator actuated by said compactor for apprising the attendant of variations of the thickness of the filler stream from a predetermined thickness while it is compressed by said compactor, and means for maintaining said indicator in the same position to which it has been displaced by said compactor during compression of the filler stream, until the compactor is again operated to compress an adjoining section of the filler stream.

5. In a cigar machine filler feed, the combination with a member for feeding a stream of tobacco, of a vertically reciprocable comp-actor for compressing said stream'vertically to a predetermined density, mechanism for vertically reciprocating said compactor to compress successive sections of the stream, and an indicator connected to said compactor for apprising the attendant of the thickness of the filler stream, said indicator including a trigger supported on said compactor and a pointer pivoted on a stationary axis and adapted to be engaged and swung by said trigger during'a part of the descent of said compactor to indicate the thickness of the compressed section of the filler stream.

6. In a cigar machine filler feed, the combination with a member for intermittently by predetermined increments feeding a stream of tobacco, of a vertically movable compactor for com pressing said stream vertically to a predetermined density, mechanism for reciprocating s id compactor to caus it to compress successive sections of said stream, and an indicator connected to said compactor for apprising the attendant of the thickness of the filler stream, said indicator including a pointer and mechanism actuated by the movement of said compactor for deflecting said pointer from initial position during the latter part of each downward movement of the compactor to indicate the thickness of the compressed section of the filler stream, and resetting the pointer to initial position during the first part of the next downward movement of the compactor.

7. In a cigar machine filler feed, the ccmbination with a member for intermittently feeding a stream of tobacco and means for clrivimg, said member to intermittently advance said stream by a predetermined distance in successive cycles, of an indicator engaging said stream of tobacco for apprising the attendant of the thickness of the filler stream in each feeding cycle of said memher, said indicator being disposed adjacent a pre determined section of said filler stream and including a device for indicating the thickness of said predetermined section of the filler stream until the next section of the filler stream has bee fed into the proximity of said indicator in the next feeding cycle of said member, and means for automatically resetting said indicator to a predetermined initial position in the said next feeding cycle of said member.

JOHN F. HALSTEAD. 

